Hairpieces, weaves, lace front, and full lace wigs are often applied to the scalp or existing hair on the head or to the perimeter skin around the hair line (forehead), of a person for cosmetic reasons or for aesthetic reasons, such as temporarily covering natural hair that may be thinning, breaking, or lost due to medical or health conditions. Hairpieces are made from natural hair, synthetic, or mono-filament fibers, which are attached to a base. The base, which is commonly referred to as a cap or lace, maintains the shape of the hairpiece and helps to hold the hairpiece in place on the head. The cap or lace is attached to the forehead between the hairline and face with either double stick tape or liquid adhesives (glue). When a liquid adhesive is used, the liquid adhesive is applied to the perimeter scalp or skin around the hair line (forehead), and allowed to dry or partially cure until the adhesive becomes sticky or tacky. The adhesives commonly used for the attachment of hairpieces are bonding adhesives, such as acrylate-based or silicone-based adhesives, which are preferably clear and colorless to avoid detracting from the natural appearance of the hairpiece and to avoid the appearance that a hairpiece is being used. The lace or cap is then attached to the scalp or the perimeter scalp or skin around the hair line (forehead), with partially cured bonding adhesive.
After one to four weeks, the lace of the wig is removed with lace wig remover. First, lace wig remover is applied to the lace to loosen the wig so the lace can be removed from the scalp. Unfortunately, bonding adhesive residue from the lace is left on the perimeter scalp or skin around the hair line (forehead) after the hairpiece is removed. This bonding adhesive residue, which is often clear or colorless, is difficult to detect with the naked eye, but can be felt or discovered when trying to attach a new lace wig unit. Bonding adhesive for keeping the lace wigs in place include, but are not limited to, acrylic acrylates and the condensation product of a silanol endblocked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with a silicate resin. One problem with the residual bonding adhesive is that the residual adhesive on the scalp or forehead prevents cleaning of the perimeter scalp or skin around the hair line (forehead), beneath the residual bonding adhesive. Another problem with the residual bonding adhesive is that the residual bonding adhesive may interfere with attachment of another hairpiece, wig or weave at a later time. While adhesive removal indicator systems are known for the removal of residual adhesive from hard surfaces such as surfaces of cars, trucks, buses, airplanes, and so forth, such surfaces are nonadsorbent. Thus, the absorbance of system components, such as solvent and dye, is of no concern. Further, water based systems or low molecular weight hydrocarbon systems are known to be ineffective for the removal of adhesive from hard surfaces. Unfortunately, adsorbent soft surfaces that by their very nature are semi-permeable, such as scalp and skin, adsorb various components of the adhesive removal indictor system. More specifically, solvents and dyes in the adhesive removal system are adsorbed into soft surfaces and can result in the staining or degradation of the soft surface, particularly if the soft surface is skin. Dye adsorption by both the residual adhesive and the substrate can make identification of the dyed residual adhesive difficult and can result in staining of the substrate.
It would be desirable to have a bonding adhesive removal indicator system and method of use to overcome the above disadvantages.